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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29777421">The Leap-Year Surprise</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/fictional_normalcy/pseuds/fictional_normalcy'>fictional_normalcy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Unexpected Arrival, birthday celebration, midnight flight, twentieth birthday</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:53:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,758</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29777421</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/fictional_normalcy/pseuds/fictional_normalcy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hiccup's birthday has come around once again. He's isn't all to eager for the day, but a small part of him admires that the day will be celebrated. However an evening flight adds more to his special day that he never expected.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Leap-Year Surprise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello y'all in honor of Hiccup's birthday, the February 29th that exists for a single moment of this year, I wrote a short little fic. Hope ya like it! Feedback is much appreciated.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He awoke to the sound of the rafters creaking and dust raining down toward him. With a small groan, he shifted to his side, able to see that Toothless had disappeared. Guess that solved the mystery of the creaking. Even after five years, Toothless enjoyed the wake-up call. Though while they had been on Dragon’s Edge, the Night Fury had preferred cuddling up to the bed and shaking it until he got off. Rubbing a hand over his eyes, he drew the blanket away from his body and reach for his metal leg. Once he was able to stand solidly, he strode over to a chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Prying it open and withdrawing an extra cloak which he draped around his shoulders. It was Berk’s cold season, where the snow reached your knees and only your dragons could provide warmth. They’d managed to get through the severe storms, which meant that Toothless had been trapped inside for two weeks. Pounding on the ceiling every morning was his way of compensation. He opened the door, first setting foot with his right to prevent himself from slipping. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mornin’ Toothless,” He called up to the roof. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As expected, his best friend bounded up to him, wings spread and pushing aside a nearby layer of snow. The cold hardly pierced through the cloak, but he had been debating whether a morning flight was the best option. His father was probably already at the Great Hall having breakfast, the twins didn’t rise until noon, Fishlegs would be taking a forest hike with Meatlug, and Snotlout would be out with his father scouting the island. Astrid, well he knew her to have different routines. Sometimes she would go to the forge to have her axe sharpened, be practicing in the arena, or having a light breakfast before she’d take Stormfly for a routine flight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>On occasion he also knew her to be scouting the island with the A-team as well. She was their founder, after all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You at least want something to eat first bud?” He stroked his head in a coaxing manner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He managed to see Toothless’ eyes narrow at something behind him before his vision went black. He felt the object blocking his vision slightly shifting, noting it was fingers. He was taken a pace backward as a body pressed against him in an embrace.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Happy birthday babe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took hold of their wrists and shifted, seeing Astrid beaming at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s that day already?” He said in awe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She placed a kiss on the side of his mouth. “You’re seriously telling me you forgot your own birthday?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now I never said I forgot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Embrace your day Hiccup! You’re 20 now!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And Dad is going to be making some feast in the Great Hall, though I hardly heard mention of a celebration-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dagur and Heather are coming as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t tell me about that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you’d forgotten your own birthday then imagine your surprise when they arrive.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you still want me to act surprised when they do?” He smirked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d like to see you try. Morning flight?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah figured we should get a taste of morning air before Dad steals me for the day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it just going to be one of you flying, or both?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I, err-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t think I haven’t noticed that you’ve attached your flight suit to your armor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need to test it out if it’s going to be perfect. We get knocked off our dragons more times than we care to admit. If I could perfect this one, then I can make some for you and the rest of the gang.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve already been trying this for over two years.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I haven’t died from it yet,” He grinned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me and Stormfly go with you as backup. The fact that you have wings sprout out of you, I don’t want anything to happen to you, especially not on your birthday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“20 isn’t anything special Astrid. I mean, unless you want to see Spitelout drink too much mead like he did at your celebration.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Astrid chuckled softly. “Gobber didn’t stop singing until sunrise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad couldn’t fly Skullcrusher for 2 days because of how disoriented he was.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And me, just a fellow tribesman. It’s the 20th birthday of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>heir to our tribe</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” She did a small mocking bow, then her head lifted to expose playful, glittering eyes. “The celebration is going to be something to behold.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’ll happen all over again won’t it,” He rubbed a hand across his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Start bracing yourself. Us Berkians love a celebration.”</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>It had seemed like a normal day, well as normal as could be on Berk. Any villager that caught sight of Hiccup would immediately smile and yell a hearty “Happy birthday lad!” and if they were in close proximity of him would pound him on the back while speaking. Hiccup had thought that he would be cornered by his dad at some point to be given a lecture about how he was closer to becoming chief, but the reality was that he hardly saw anything of his dad all day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He and Toothless decided to take an evening flight, Hiccup having been told that he was forbidden from entering the Great Hall until after sunset. Two things ran through his head upon hearing it. One, that he knew what was coming after the sun had disappeared. Two, his dad really didn’t need to go to such a heavy extent to celebrate his son’s special day. It was just a birthday. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They decided to stay in close proximity of the island, flying the entire perimeter and diving underneath waterfalls one too many times. They had just finished navigating the seastacks on the northeastern part of the island, when Hiccup caught movement out of the left corner of his vision. He turned his head, seeing something flying several meters away from them. A dragon he could see, but with the fading sunlight he couldn’t distinguish which species. Larger than Toothless, but not to the length of a Monstrous Nightmare. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once the dragon realized it was spotted it drew farther back. However, now that Hiccup was aware of them being followed he could feel its gaze. The two of them flew higher into the sky, going for another round of Berk. At some point they took a stark turn, and Hiccup caught a better view. There was someone on the dragon. Yet still too indiscernible to see dragon features. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bud, you’re seeing this too right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gave a small growl in response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not liking this, they don’t close the distance, and for sure they’re trying to gauge us… but it’s been too long. If it is an enemy rider usually they’ve opened fire. What are they waiting for?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gave a croon, shifting to a dive toward the sea. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What say we take ‘em to a more private part of the island if they have business with us?” He leaned down toward his friend’s head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Judging from how his wings pumped faster, his best friend was in agreement. Toothless then gave a questioning purr, their descent steadying in the direction of a high cliff on land. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t fire. Let’s just see if they’ll follow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They landed on a familiar spot. Hiccup could remember that his dad had brought him to the cliffside, when he was a toddler. It wasn’t that easy of a climb on foot, especially with his metal leg. With Toothless it was easy to just swoop in for a landing. They also held the upper ground. Should it be a hostile who wanted to engage the two of them a distress call wasn’t easily missed. He could see the entire village should he sit at the edge. Dragon and human peered upward as the dragon and rider circled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hiccup had been right about the size, and he could now see the spines at its head and back. A Skrill had returned to Berk. The sun had disappeared behind the horizon and the dragon would need to come in for a landing for Hiccup to properly see the rider. It wasn’t a Dragon Flyer, and he could swear the figure was cloaked. Toothless let out a screech, and the Skrill caught full attention of the sound. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ready bud?” Hiccup whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Skrill started going down to the wall of rock. They were aware of it, so not caught off-guard, but there still stood a chance of being knocked off the cliff. Hiccup’s hand pried Inferno 2 from its holster. The Skrill and its rider landed, the figure dismounting by sliding a hand on the rock and letting their feet step on solid ground. They wore a dark cloak, with the hood covering their head. They took two steps forward, and Hiccup clicked the button, the blade coming out with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>shink </span>
  </em>
  <span>and lit on fire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t take another step.” He said steadily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wondered for a moment if it could be Krogan. He had disappeared after the war and no one knew where. Yet that wonder was quashed when he remembered the man had ridden a Singetail, not a Skrill. The cloaked figure heeded his command, and Hiccup wished they’d lift their head just a little higher. He wanted to see just who this person was. The person didn’t move a pace, but the Skrill did. It left the rider’s side, and they gestured for it to continue. Hiccup wouldn’t hurt a dragon, and the pair still weren’t distinct threats. It couldn’t be Dagur or Heather, they’d already arrived. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wondered if perhaps Mala and Throk had come, but the Skrill was still the mysterious element. He’d never seen the Defenders of the Wing with their own dragons. The blade didn’t move as the Skrill approached Toothless. The two dragons exchanged a few snuffles, and then they came in to nuzzle one another. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hiccup lowered his arm, the blade coming down. He vividly recalled the one occasion where the Skrill and Toothless had gotten along. His gaze shifted to the rider, his eyes narrowed, but his curiosity piqued. They removed the hood from their head, letting it fall to their back. He couldn’t believe his eyes. Hiccup took in a sharp inhale, sure a phantom stood before him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their hair had grown longer, but Hiccup could still place the eye devoid of color and the lava burns trailing down the left side of their face and down their neck where it met three horizontal faded scars. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Viggo?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man with the hood now removed smiled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Happy birthday Hiccup.”</span>
</p>
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